Album: ONE: Our Cottage. October 14-16, 2005
Our cottage was real cozy with a bedroom, living room and kitchen. Very quiet, very private, just perfect. We settled in right away...after Madeline & Sarah checked out the most important features: Sofa & Bed. Madeline liked the view too.

Album: TWO: Parsons Beach, October 16, 2005. Heaven on Earth!
Parsons Beach is 10 miles from our cottage, just south of Kennebunk on Rt.9. It's the only beach that is untouched, natural. It's privately owned by the few people who live there and is open to the public with the expectation that it will be respected. All evidence shows that it is respected by all who enjoy it. And of course, since this is off-season, dogs are allowed and it is truly Heaven on Earth!

Album: THREE: Parsons Beach Oct.17, 2005
The rest of the 16th was very cloudy, very windy with a few showers. The girls got very wet and cold running Ogunquit Beach in the afternoon so we returned to our cottage for warm snuggles and an early night. The morning of the 17th was bright & sunny with some clouds scudding across the sky. We hit Parsons Beach at 8am. High tide wasn't until 11:30am, so we had plenty of time to roam and enjoy.

Album: FOUR: Play at Birchknoll Cottages - Oct. 17, 2005
High tide chased us from Parsons Beach, so we went back to our cottage. On the way we stopped to buy pumpkins for Lillian June (Madeline's sister), & Randolph. (We stopped to visit them on our way home on the 23rd). M&S posed on our porch & then we took off to explore the grounds of Birchknoll Cottages.

Album: FIVE:North side of Ogunquit Beach - Oct. 17, 2005
Having recreated at Birchknoll for awhile we set off for the north side of Ogunquit Beach for a romp.

Album: SIX: Parsons Beach. End of Day Oct. 17, 2005
We finished our day back at Parsons Beach. It was around 4pm. We were the only ones there. Just the ocean, the gulls and breath-taking beauty in end-of-day light. It was also pretty darn cold and windy so we left after about 15 minutes, headed back to our cottage to warm up and go to bed.

Album: SEVEN: Early morning in our cottage Oct. 18, 2005
The morning of the 18th we were all tired and slow getting started. Madeline & Sarah ate their breakfast and went directly back to sleep. I think the previous day's excursions had taken their toll! haha

Album: EIGHT: Parsons Beach in the afternoon ~ Oct. 18, 2005
All morning had been cloudy. We ate our breakfast watching the tide come in on Ogunquit Beach, did a bit of shopping & had a nap. When we awoke the sun was shining so we headed out for Parsons. This is when we met Corky, a dear pup who lives in a beautiful big white house on the beach.

Album: NINE: Kennebunkport View. October 18, 2005
After leaving Parsons we drove to Kennebunkport and took the coast road that leads north toward Bush's Point. Not far out of the center of town there is a spot to pull over & enjoy a lovely view over the ocean. This day the light was just right. We sat in the car for quite awhile just taking it all in.

Album: TEN: Gooches Beach, Kennebunk. October 18, 2005
Next we took the short drive to Gooches Beach and the girls went for a short run before dark. As the tide recedes, it leaves the sand glistening wet and reflects the sky beautfully.

Album: ELEVEN: End of day in Cottage #8. October 18, 2005.
Blissfully exhausted. The end of a wonderful day.

Album: TWELVE: Lots of SUN on Parsons Beach. Morning of October 19, 2005.
This morning of the 19th the sun was bright, the wind had died down and Corky was waiting for us.

Album: THIRTEEN: Drake Island. October 19, 2005.
It became cloudy & cool soon after leaving Parsons so we headed back to our cottage. We needed a nap after all that sunny, fresh air. When we'd rested, the sun was back and we drove to Drake Island in Wells.

Album: FOURTEEN: Parsons Beach. October 20, 2005
It was difficult, but I got the girls out of bed early and we arrived at Parsons at 6:30am just in time to catch the sunrise. Glorious!

Album: FIFTEEN: Gooches Beach, Kennebunk. October 20, 2005.
After a yummy breakfast we went to Gooches Beach and met a number of very nice people who found the girls irresistable....& one poor Lab who wondered which mental institution the girls had escaped from.

Album: SIXTEEN: Back to Birchknoll until the next low tide. October 20, 2005.

Album: SEVENTEEN: Ogunquit Beach. October 20,2005.
Ogunquit Beach was our next stop. More people to meet & greet. We also met the most lovely little Cocker named Roxie. She came dashing down the beach toward us & I do believe M&S recognized her as kin & did not torment her with the "BarkBarkBark" routine....not toooo much anyway. In fact, Sarah and Roxie had some good fun together. Roxie's Dad was awfully nice too. Hello Kieth!! We miss the beaches!

Album: EIGHTEEN: Ogunquit Beach. End of Day October 20, 2005.
We ate our dinner of lobster rolls & fries from Jake's sitting in the PupMobile enjoying this south end of the beach.

Album: NINETEEN: Parsons Beach. Morning October 21, 2005.
We got to Parsons at 8am. Beautiful sunny morning and about 2 hours of romping, exploring, relaxing.

Album: TWENTY: Overlooking Kennebunkport October 21, 2005.
We went back to the spot we'd visited 2 days previously and ate our Port Bakery breakfast there.

Album: TWENTY ONE: Ogunquit Beach October 21, 2005.
Only one photo here. We stopped at Ogunquit Beach on our way back to the cottage and for once I put the camera away and just enjoyed. Our last full day in Maine was rapidly passing. We were heavy with the dread of our vacation ending, trying to hold on to every second of ocean and sand and grasses, of ocean air and ocean sound and feel. Trying to grasp and hold tight every last morsel of our beloved beaches and the freedom of spirit they always so generously allow us.

Album: TWENTY TWO: Drake Island. October 21, 2005.
We snapped out of our funk when we stopped at Drake Island. Sarah met a new friend and trolled the shallows for fish. You may wonder where Madeline is in most of these pics. Hmmmmm Well, I wondered as well when I took my eye from the camera and scanned the horizon. Madeline had found a dead seal in the dunes. Enough said.

Album: TWENTY THREE: Parsons Beach Farewell. October 22, 2005.
We had to visit Parsons before leaving Maine. We were very sad. The girls were subdued as they wandered our favorite beach - almost as though they were saying goodbye. Goodbye beach. Goodbye dunes. Goodbye waves and wind and salt. Goodbye seaweed and yummy mussle shells and smelly seagull leftovers. No. Not goodbye. Au revoir instead. The only thing that brightened our spirits was that we were going to visit Lillian June in Groton Mass. on our way home.

Album: TWENTY FOUR: Sparky of Birchknoll Cottages. October 22, 2005
The PupMobile was packed. We were ready to head out but had to get a shot of Sparky. He is the resident pup of Birchknoll Cottages. A lovely, souful boy with a sad face and soft eyes. See you next year Sparky!